Trump says US will “come to their rescue” if Iran kills protesters

• US Intervention Warning: President Donald Trump declared the US is "locked and loaded" to intervene if Iranian authorities violently crack down on peaceful protesters, following reports of at least six deaths during a week of escalating unrest.
• Economic Roots of Dissent: Initially sparked by a strike in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar over the rising cost of living and a collapsing currency, the demonstrations have spread to several provinces, marking the most significant challenge to the Iranian government since the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests.

President Donald Trump threatened Friday that the United States is "locked and loaded" if Iran kills protesters, after cost-of-living demonstrations in the country turned deadly.

"If Iran shots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

"We are locked and loaded and ready to go."

Protests in Iran

Reports said that six people were killed Thursday during clashes between protesters and security forces across the Islamic Republic.

The current wave of unrest began Sunday with merchants in Tehran protesting the rising cost of living and economic deterioration.

The movement has since expanded to include other segments of society and spread to various regions of the country.

Iran’s Fars News Agency reported Thursday that two civilians were killed in clashes between security forces and protesters in the city of Lordegan.

Additionally, three people were reported killed in the city of Azna, located in the neighboring Lorestan province.

State television previously announced the death of a member of the Basij, a paramilitary force linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), during protests in the western city of Kuhdasht.

Context of Iranian Dissent

The current demonstrations have not yet reached the scale of the mass protests that gripped Iran in late 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini.

Amini died in custody after being detained by the morality police for allegedly violating the country's strict dress code, sparking months of nationwide anger that resulted in hundreds of deaths, including dozens of security personnel.

Iran also faced significant unrest in November 2019 following a hike in fuel prices. Authorities utilized a severe crackdown to quell those protests, officially reporting 230 deaths, though non-governmental human rights organizations have estimated the actual death toll was significantly higher.